The present invention is directed to a semiconductor device assembly and, more particularly, to a substrate having fiducial markings for alternative semiconductor die configurations.
A common form of semiconductor device package has a semiconductor die mounted on a first face of a laminated substrate, and electrically connected to an array of internal electrical contacts on the first face of the substrate. The opposite, second face of the substrate has external electrical contacts for connection to external circuits, connected through the substrate to the internal contacts. The die is usually encapsulated in an electrically insulating material, such as epoxy molding compound.
Typically, during the packaging operation (commonly known as “assembly”), a substrate panel has a linear or two-dimension array of locations for semiconductor dies. Packaging operations, such as die placement and electrical connection of the dies to the internal contacts, are performed on the panel for the whole array of dies. Fiducial markings on the first face guide apparatus performing the packaging operations. The panel is then singulated to separate individual substrates with the dies. Encapsulation may also be performed before singulation.
Conventionally, a substrate panel is specific to a given configuration of semiconductor die, especially to its size and the number of its electrical contacts, and to the configuration of the finished semiconductor device, including the size and number of external electrical contacts of the substrate. These parameters affect the pitch of the array of semiconductor dies, and the fiducial markings used in the packaging operations. Using different, specific substrate panels limits the quantity of each variant of substrate panel, limiting economies of scale, increases the aggregate inventory of substrate panels, and increases costs.
A method of using the same substrate panel for packaging alternative different configurations of semiconductor dies is sought.